Chapter Text
Siuan wraps herself in her warmest robe before walking downstairs. It’s still dark outside, but it’s nearly seven in the morning and Siuan has already gotten more than eight hours of sleep. Still, she’d hoped to roll over in bed and find Moiraine ready to cuddle until sunrise. Instead Moiriane’s side of the bed and Leanna’s bassinet had been empty, so Siuan dragged herself out of her warm, cozy bed.
Siuan walks downstairs to a living room lit only by fairy lights hung on the walls and the brightly colored lights on the Christmas tree. Moiraine still hasn’t noticed Siuan, is deep in thought, sitting on the sofa with papers around her, forehead creased in concentration. Leanna is sleeping peacefully in her bassinet in front of the sofa. Siuan watches for a moment, loves how brilliant her wife is. Siuan wonders if Moiraine misses work. They’d both planned to take a year of maternity leave, but after six months Siuan wonders if Moiraine is eager to occupy her mind with something other than nappy changes and feeding schedules.
“Good morning, love,” Siuan says quietly so she doesn’t wake Leanna. Siuan walks past Jenny, asleep and snoring on her dog bed next to the tree. Siuan leans over to kiss Moiraine, and Moiraine smiles against Siuan’s lips, grabs Siuan’s hips and pulls her onto Moiraine’s lap as they kiss. Siuan wraps her arms around Moiraine, hands reaching under her Hannukah themed flannel pajamas, a gift from Siuan’s grandparents last year.
“Good morning,” Moiraine whispers against Siuan’s lips before giving her one more peck and rubbing her nose playfully against Siuan’s.
“How long have you been awake?” Siuan asks. It gets light so late this time of year that she struggles to pull herself out of bed before eight on these cold, dark winter mornings, but Moiraine somehow remains a morning person, is often up at five, wrapping Leanna up in layers and taking her along on a jog.
“Since four maybe,” Moiraine answers.
“I didn’t hear Leanna cry.” Siuan caresses up and down the smooth skin of Moiraine’s back, pleased at the way the touch makes Moiraine sigh contentedly.
“She didn’t. I was already awake and I saw her wake up and took her downstairs with me before she could wake you.” Siuan frowns, tries to figure out why Moiraine would have been awake so early. Had she been worrying or upset and not woken Siuan.
“Thank you,” Siuan says as moves one hand to caress Moiraine’s neck and is rewarded with a moan. “What are you working on?”
“I contacted Bair Taardad’s campaign manager to see if they could use some help from someone with unique insights into Taringail’s flaws.”
Siuan smiles, and Moiraine seems to let out a relieved breath, must have worried that Siuan would have been upset with Moiraine for getting involved in her brother’s election campaign. “You’ve decided to embrace the Damodrama then, have you?”
Moiraine chuckles, but then her face falls and she looks worried, fingers stroking up and down Siuan’s spine for a minute before finally speaking. “I don’t want you or Leanna to get dragged into this. I just can’t let him win.” Moiraine has been debating for weeks whether to leak Taringail’s opponent information about him in hopes it would sabotage his election race, feared that Taringail would retaliate against Moiraine by trying to hurt Siuan or their family.
“Your family doesn’t have anything on us,” Siuan says. “There’s nothing to have. We’re the most adorable, domestic couple in the world.”
“We’re both women.”
“That’s hardly a secret.”
“I know. It’s just…” Moiraine closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Siuan shifts so she isn’t crushing Moiraine, sits next to her and wraps her arms around Moiraine, pulls her close and waits for her to say more. “My family fights dirty, and the people whose politics align with theirs are dangerous. I don’t want you to have to deal with being harassed. I just can’t let him win.”
“How can I help?” Siuan asks, but Moiraine just stares at her with wide, sad eyes. “What?”
“I don’t want you to deal with harassment from his racist, homophobic supporters. My family could choose to target you to get to me.”
“It’s your decision if you want to campaign against him publicly or work quietly behind the scenes. Whatever you decide is ok with me. Leanna is too young to be affected by any of this, and I can handle a little harassment for a good cause.”
“I can’t let you get hurt.” Moiraine looks so pained, and Siuan wishes she knew how to make this better, wishes that Moiraine didn’t feel responsible for her terrible family. Siuan rubs Moiraine’s back softly, and Moiraine smiles sadly. They sit together for a moment, the silence interrupted by the sound of Moiraine’s stomach growling loudly.
Siuan leans forward and kisses Moiraine before asking, “Do you want to talk more about this after breakfast?”
“I am hungry,” Moiraine admits much to Siuan’s happiness, grateful that Moiraine isn’t too stressed to want to eat.
“Let me make you breakfast.” Siuan gets up and Moiraine follows her to the kitchen. There’s already coffee made, and Moiraine pours Siuan a large mugful before adding the perfect amount of milk. “Thank you.” Siuan holds the warm mug and watches Moiraine refill her own coffee. Siuan isn’t too fond of the cold or dark this time of year, but she does love these cozy mornings with Moiraine. Siuan reaches out her arm and Moiraine comes over, leaning against Siuan’s side as they listen to the first beats of rain against the windows. That seals it, they are spending all morning inside in their pajamas. “What do you want for breakfast?” Siuan asks, though she isn’t eager to move, adores the feeling of Moiraine’s body pressed against hers, relaxed and content and warm.
“Yogurt with muesli?”
“I can cut up some apples to put on top,” Siuan says. There are still so many left from when Siuan’s grandma dropped off giant bags of them last week, insisting that she’d found the best apples at the farmer’s market. While they are delicious, Siuan fears they’ll need to resort to making apple sauce and apple butter to use them all before they spoil. She isn’t sure she or Moiraine has the cooking skills for that. Maybe they can give some to Lan and Alric later or convince Lan to make an apple pie.
Moiraine sets her coffee down on the counter behind them and wraps her arms around Siuan’s waist. “In a minute,” Moiraine says as she closes her eyes and rests her cheek on Siuan’s chest.
Siuan kisses Moiraine’s head. “We can go back to bed after breakfast,” Siuan suggests, “or we can sit on the sofa cuddled under a blanket and listen to Christmas music.” Moiraine smiles against Siuan’s chest, and Siuan kisses her hair again. Their first Christmas together Moiraine had insisted that she didn’t want to celebrate Christmas anymore, but she and Siuan have made their own traditions, and now Moiraine is practically vibrating with excitement every December, eager to decorate a tree and play Christmas music nonstop for the entire month. “Christmas music and cuddling all day it is.”
“Lan and Alric are coming over around eleven and your dad and grandparents are coming for dinner,” Moiraine reminds Siuan who is beginning to regret insisting that she and Moiraine could host Hanukkah dinner tonight. If only she’d acquiesced to her father’s suggestion that he could host so that all Siuan and Moiraine needed to do was show up.
Siuan grumbles then tells Moiraine, “Fine, but we’re staying on the sofa until Lan and Alric arrive. They can help us cook and clean when they get here.”
“You won’t get an argument from me.”
“I’ll be ok you know, even if Taringail comes for me,” Siuan promises. “I don’t have anything to hide.”
“He could make our lives miserable.” Siuan kisses Moiraine’s forehead as Moiraine nuzzles against Siuan’s chest.
“Then we can help his opponent quietly. We don’t need to put ourselves in danger. You don’t have to do that, Moiraine. Just because he’s your brother doesn’t mean this is your responsibility.”
“I know.” Moiraine’s voice cracks, and Siuan sets down her mug so she can hug Moiraine more tightly.
“They hurt you more than anyone else,” Siuan says. “You aren’t to blame for them. We’re already working on the same-sex marriage campaign despite being on maternity leave. You don’t have to singlehandedly fix this country just because of the family you come from.”
Moiraine sniffles before looking up at Siuan with wide, wet eyes. “That I am working on because I want to marry you again, Siuan Damodred-Sanche. You promised me years ago that I get to propose to you once it’s legal, and I’ve had the perfect proposal planned for almost a decade.”
“Have you now?” Siuan cups Moiraine’s face, adores the way Moiraine melts into the touch, presses her cheek against Siuan’s palm and smiles. Siuan wants so desperately to protect Moiraine, to make her happy.
“I have, but it will remain a secret until I finally get to propose.”
“We better work harder on this campaign then,” Siuan says.
“Breakfast first,” Moiraine says decisively.
“Are you a hungry piranha this morning?” Siuan asks and Moiraine laughs, that genuine, beautiful laugh. “Let me feed you, love.”